Letters, April 24: Dangerous precedents for pursuing terrorists

FILE - This combination of undated file photos shows Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, left, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. The FBI says the two brothers are the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, and are also responsible for killing an MIT police officer, critically injuring a transit officer in a firefight and throwing explosive devices at police during a getaway attempt in a long night of violence that left Tamerlan dead and Dzhokhar captured, late Friday, April 19, 2013. ASSOCIATED PRESS

MISSION VIEJO, Keith Eckman: In 1998, Massachusetts passed one of toughest gun-control bills in the country. It banned semiautomatic "assault-style" weapons, imposed strict new licensing rules, prohibited anyone convicted of a violent crime or drug trafficking from ever carrying or owning a gun and enacted severe penalties for storing guns unlocked, which virtually disarmed the populous. Yet, murders continued to rise even with those strict gun laws.

FILE - This combination of undated file photos shows Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, left, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19. The FBI says the two brothers are the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing, and are also responsible for killing an MIT police officer, critically injuring a transit officer in a firefight and throwing explosive devices at police during a getaway attempt in a long night of violence that left Tamerlan dead and Dzhokhar captured, late Friday, April 19, 2013. (Associated Press)

Then, the week of April 15, 2013, the Boston Marathon bomber brothers used hand grenades, homemade pipe bombs, the infamous pressure-cooker bombs, as well as guns, to kill their victims.

The most disturbing sight afterward was the trampling of the Fourth Amendment in our Bill of Rights, by various groups of military-style, assault-rifle-armed people barging in and out of houses in Boston while homeowners stood by, helpless, with folded arms.

Is this a look into the future of America under the rule of President Barack Obama? A future where Democratic-controlled, unarmed citizens of Massachusetts are at the will of heavily armed police and military, as well as radicalized terrorists?

__________________

FULLERTON, Steve Kariger: An American citizen walks into the Boston Marathon, kills three people and, now, everything humanly possible must be done to prevent these rare events from ever happening again, including limiting the constitutional rights of almost every ordinary, law-abiding citizen.

Another American citizen walks into a Connecticut school, kills 26 young children and their teachers, but, unfortunately, we can't do anything at all because to do so might limit someone's constitutional rights, and, anyway, these sorts of events are all too commonplace and can't ever be stopped, so why even try?

Please explain.

Medical ambivalence

SAN CLEMENTE, Linda Rexroth: It is hard to imagine the feelings that the nurses and doctors have as they care for the Boston bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. They have taken an oath to preserve life, and yet they have also seen the intentional agony he has caused to other patients they are caring for. They have seen the families' grief for lost loved ones and the torment of others in extreme pain who now face long rehabilitations and lives without limbs.

A very tough call.

Remember Munich

LAGUNA NIGUEL, William Jameson: Where is the outrage? The attack in Boston was far more offensive than any video or cartoon, yet the most we hear is that everyone condemns the attack. This was an event of global proportions because the world was watching. How many nations were represented at the Boston Marathon?

A terrorist attack of this magnitude occurred at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, and the same type of religious fanatics are responsible.

Those who hate freedom of any kind are willing to martyr someone else's child. There is a religious leader behind this kind of hate for mankind, and that is who needs to be brought to justice along with anyone else who aided in this terrorist act.

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the Editor: E-mail to letters@ocregister.com.
Please provide your name, city and telephone number (telephone numbers will not be published).
Letters of about 200 words or videos of 30-seconds
each will be given preference. Letters will be edited for length, grammar and clarity.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.